"Bonjour, je ne parle pas bien française."
I don't speak French well! This is what I said
when three police officers waved me to the side
of the road to park on the curb. (There is no
room to park on the side of the road)
Smile! Another smile.
They asked for the vehicles paper and for my
license. I handed them my international permit and
my Virginia license. "Vous etes Americain?"
This was the first time I did not correct someone
for calling me an American! They were very
curious looking at my international permit and
VA license. I told them I was here for 9 months
after which they said I need to go to the prefacture
to obtain a French license. Finally they told me
I did not stop at the sign (I know this will not
come as a shock to many). I acted very surprised,
said, "Je n'arrete pas, c'est vrais??" One of the
police officers smiled and said in English "be careful."
They were all smiling and didn't quite know what to do with me.
They let me go with only a "soyez prudent." I replied
"vous ȇtes tres gentil" and left! No more California
stops in France!
Oh my. Jude claims to be American? Surely the rapture is upon us. Surely these are the end times. Oh my! I stand in awe of the French authorities - clearly more powerful than I ever imagined..... I don't know whether to be grateful she's come over or saddened for her homeland. To have lost such a patriot and advocate.
ReplyDeleteLet me make this perfectly clear,
ReplyDeleteI DID NOT say I was American. I simply did not explain that I was
Canadian while trying to avoid paying a ticket for not stopping at a STOP
sign, not ARRÊTE in France. It was
simply too complicated to explain to three very cute, very fit French
policeman the differences between Canadians and Americans. It would have
taken far too long!
One more time, je suis Canadienne!